Economic Outlook: plenty of migrants — but record work for us too

There is more misreporting on immigration than any other issue, says David SmithAlamy

The economic debate over EU membership rages on, with the heavy weaponry overwhelmingly on one side. I can only hope there will be a ceasefire on June 24 — but I cannot promise it.

Last week we had the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) confirming this column’s conclusion on May 1: “There’s no pot of gold at the end of the Brexit rainbow.” There will not be the “leave” campaign’s dodgy £350m a week figure to spend on the health service, or anything else.

Because the public finances will suffer in net terms if Britain votes for Brexit, there will be less to spend on services, not more. For pointing out this simple truth, the IFS was accused by the Vote Leave campaign of being…

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